1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a method for automatically processing a carcass of a slaughtered animal suspended from the hind legs.
2. Description of Related Art
Various solutions have been provided for automatically processing the carcasses of slaughtered animals. The carcasses are, normally in line and hanging from their hind legs, presented in its entirety to be processed to carcass halves in several steps. The automatic processing of the carcasses requires dedicated equipment for the different processing steps. These different process steps can vary in different process lines but may include among others: removing the front legs, removing the skull, splitting the pubic bone, separating the anus and the rectum from the carcass, opening the abdominal wall and sternum, removing the entrails, pizzle removing, visual inspection, and stamping. Among others a series of automatically controlled knives, braces, guides and detection means are required to process the carcasses of the slaughtered animal.
WO 93/01725 is a patent application from the same applicant as the present invention, which publication is incorporated hereby in reference. This document discloses a method and device for opening the carcass of a slaughtered animal. A cut is made in the belly wall (abdominal wall) close to the hind legs of the carcass and this cut is continued in a downward direction, whereas the intestines are kept clear of the belly wall. The cut may be continued further to also open the breast (sternum) of the carcass. The disclosed technique functions successfully in practise. Normally the equipment is embodied by an individual cutting machine that is part of a line of various processing machines that all provide a different operation on the carcasses.
A problem of the present equipment and methods of automatic processing of one or more steps in the processing of the carcasses of slaughtered animal is that it requires high volume flows of carcasses to recover the investments on the dedicated machinery required for such automation.
The present invention now has the object to provide a method and a device that enables further automation of the processing of carcasses of slaughtered animal with limited investments. Furthermore the object of the invention is to provide a method and a device that enables further flexibility in the processing of carcasses.